1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dental treatment compositions, including fluoride treatment compositions.
2. The Relevant Technology
In the field of dentistry, fluoride compositions are applied to a patient's teeth as part of a routine dental cleaning Application of fluoride has been widely recognized as a method for preventing tooth decay. According to one method, a fluoride gel composition is dispensed within a dental tray, after which the tray is placed over the patient's teeth. The tray holds the fluoride gel composition adjacent to the patient's teeth, and after a desired amount of time (e.g., a minute or less), the tray is removed and the remaining gel composition is rinsed off the patient's teeth.
Alternatively, fluoride varnish compositions can be applied to a person's teeth and left in place for days or weeks. In many cases fluoride varnish compositions are yellow or opaque white and therefore are not aesthetically pleasing. In addition, fluoride varnish are typically dispensed from a container using a brush. The practitioner typically dips the brush into the container and then paints the fluoride varnish onto the patient's teeth like fingernail polish. This dipping and painting procedure is repeated several times, perhaps once for each tooth, which made the procedure cumbersome and potentially messy.
And while it may be desirable to dispense a fluoride varnish composition from a syringe and onto a patient's teeth using a brush tip, existing fluoride compositions have lacked sufficient stability and shelf life to remain as a stable gel over time during storage and prior to use. As a result, they can become gritty over time, which causes plugging of the brush tip, especially narrow gauge tips that are suitable for dispensing relatively low viscosity fluids such as fluoride varnish compositions. Formation of solids also reduces initial translucency and causes fluoride varnish compositions to become hazy or white over time, reducing their aesthetic appeal.